[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3131 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3131

   To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, 
            except with respect to certain basic questions.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 8, 2009

    Mr. Poe of Texas (for himself and Mrs. Bachmann) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
 and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of 
                        the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To make participation in the American Community Survey voluntary, 
            except with respect to certain basic questions.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PARTICIPATION IN AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY TO BE VOLUNTARY.

    (a) In General.--Except as provided in subsection (b), no criminal 
penalty shall apply, under section 221 of title 13, United States Code, 
or any other provision of law, for refusing or willfully neglecting to 
answer questions in connection with the survey, conducted by the 
Secretary of Commerce, which is commonly referred to as the ``American 
Community Survey''.
    (b) Exceptions.--Nothing in subsection (a) shall--
            (1) apply in the case of a question that elicits only 1 or 
        more of the items of information described in subsection (c); 
        or
            (2) be considered to waive any penalty imposed by reason of 
        conduct described in section 221(b) of title 13, United States 
        Code.
    (c) Information Described.--The items of information described in 
this subsection are as follows:
            (1) The name of the respondent.
            (2) Contact information for the respondent.
            (3) The date of the response.
            (4) The number of people living or staying at the same 
        address.
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